Jason C. Fisher, MD

When I was growing up, I was always trying to fix things. As a middle schooler, I disassembled my family’s electric pencil sharpener when it did not work because I wanted to understand how it functioned. In high school, I was drawn to architecture and auto-shop classes so I could keep fixing things, but I soon became captivated by the machinery of the human body. I decided to go to medical school and initially wanted to pursue pediatrics, because I always enjoyed being around children. However, surgery appealed to my inner mechanic, and I realized pediatric surgery would be a natural fit.

I am director of children’s surgical services at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone. I work closely with all surgeons treating children at NYU Langone to ensure that the care they provide pediatric patients and their families is exceptional, family-centered, and focused on their needs. I treat children who have appendicitis, inguinal and umbilical hernias, chest wall deformities, solid tumors, feeding problems, and anorectal malformations that cause fecal incontinence. I also manage birth defects, such as diaphragmatic hernia and esophageal atresia

I use laparoscopic surgical techniques, which are minimally invasive, to repair hernias and remove tumors, the appendix, and the spleen. Laparoscopic procedures result in minimal scarring, less pain, and a faster recovery for patients.

I am the surgical director of NYU Langone’s Pediatric ECMO Program. ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is a treatment in which a life support machine performs the function of the heart and lungs. This therapy is used for children who have life-threatening cardiac and respiratory conditions, such as diaphragmatic hernia or pulmonary hypertension, and in infants who have aspirated meconium during childbirth. At NYU Langone, our outcomes exceed national benchmarks, and our program has received the Gold Level Center of Excellence award from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization.

I also co-direct the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Program, in which maternal–fetal medicine specialists collaborate with pediatric, neonatal, and surgical subspecialists to manage prenatal conditions.

I am a fierce advocate for patient safety and family-centered care. When creating a treatment plan, I make sure parents’ preferences and concerns are taken into account. I collaborate with a team of surgeons and intensive care doctors to provide the personalized attention one would expect from a trusted family pediatrician while offering leading-edge treatments in the setting of a world-class medical center.

I conduct clinical research focused on congenital diaphragmatic hernia and pediatric ECMO. In addition, I am a physician informaticist, meaning I am a liaison between doctors and NYU Langone’s information technology analysts. We use advanced methods of clinical data analysis to help develop better treatment pathways. Our goals are to reduce complications and improve safety.